In-Case Portable Travel Shower Chair

ABSTRACT

The portable travel shower chair (shower chair) is designed to make ease of carrying a shower chair for persons who have trouble standing for long periods of time while bathing. The shower chair is also designed for those who travel to take their personal shower chair with them. While staying in a hotel room, with family, or when simply away from home, they can safely take a shower while lessening the fear of falling. The shower chair is lightweight and collapsible. The shower chair is designed to easily pack away when not in use to the size of an oversize briefcase or computer carrying case.The portable shower chair has a non-slip seat with back support. The seat and back support have water drainage slots for quick drying. The shower chair has collapsible/adjustable legs, non-slip suction footing, and easy grip carrying handle. The shower chair is designed with attached hide-away swivel brackets which firmly hold each leg of the shower chair in place while in use.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates, in general, to a shower chair that can be readily used within a bath tub or shower and, more particularly, to a portable travel shower chair that is readily collapsible upon itself for storage purposes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A. Field of The Invention

This invention relates primarily to make ease of carrying a shower chair for persons who have trouble standing for long periods of time while bathing. The shower chair is also designed for those who travel to take their personal shower chair with them. While staying in a hotel room, with family, or when simply away from home, they can safely take a shower while lessening the fear of falling. The shower chair is lightweight and collapsible. The shower chair is designed to easily pack away when not in use to the size of an oversize briefcase or computer carrying case.

Background Art

As been factually proven and well known, it is extremely difficult for many elderly, frail and/or psychically challenged individuals to have access to bathing facilities such as a bathtub especially when traveling away from home. Although there are existing shower chairs or seats which permit the user to be seated, rather than standing while bathing, many are not readily storable when not being used, nor designed for easy carrying when traveling. This lack of portability may create a problem in small bathrooms (such as those that are usually found in apartments or hotels rooms), or when traveling or staying with family.

In order to assist in overcoming this problem, some shower chairs or seats are adjustable and/or collapsible when not in use. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,195,813, B1, (Orcini) discloses a shower seat in the form of several panels which are hinged together for easy set-up and storage. U.S. Pat. No. 8,181,285 B1 (Jackson) discloses a bath bench in the form of a panels which are hinged together which sit in the bathtub adjacent to the bathtub wall. The bench disclosed in this second patent differs from the seat disclosed in the first U.S. Pat. No. 6,195,813, B1. (Orcini) in that it includes a transfer bench attached to the seat for ease of access when in use. In addition, it has an extension which appears to folds over when not in use for storing, however it does not collapse as the seat in the first patent.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,155,757, B1 (Zamora) discloses a store away shower chair for a bathtub and differs from the seats and/or benches disclosed in the aforementioned patents in that the shower chair folds away for self-storing and it is on collapsible railed wheels for storing.

Although, the shower chairs or seats disclosed in all of the aforementioned patents overcome the bathing problem, the hindrance may be its ability to adjust for the bathtub use, or being easily collapsible for storing away when not in use, or may not provide the stability needed, or in the event of one shower chair, may only be preferable for a walk-in shower situation. In any case, the above mentioned shower chairs may be too big, too bulky, too heavy, not steady and/or takes up excess room when not in use. In addition, the aforementioned shower chairs may/or may not be readily removed, if necessary.

In view of the foregoing, it can be seen that a need exists for an improved type of portable shower chair which is readily useable by many elderly, frail and/or psychically challenged individuals. This shower chair must afford them the ability to have access to bathing facilities such as a bathtub, especially when traveling away from home, and which takes up only the minimum space when stored away. Therefore, it has become desirable to develop a portable travel shower chair which is readily collapsible, light-weight, easily removable when not in use and can be stored by simply folding it within itself into a handy carrying case.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention solves the problems associated with having a portable shower chair assembly which has the capability of allowing a person to be safely seated while bathing. The portable shower chair has a non-slip base seat with back support. The base seat and back support have water drainage slots for quick drying. The shower chair has collapsible/adjustable legs, non-slip suction footing, and easy grip carrying handle. The shower chair is designed with attached hide-away swivel brackets which firmly hold each leg of the shower chair in place while in use.

The objects of the invention therefore include:

a. Providing a shower chair of the above kind which is readily accessible for bathing purposes. b. Providing a shower chair of the above kind has drainage slots in the body of the shower chair to provide quick drainage after the water comes in contact with a person sitting therein. c. Providing a shower chair of the above kind has drainage slots in the body of the shower chair to promote quick drying after bathing and during storage. (The drainage slot allow the air to flow within and around the shower which promotes faster drying.) d. Providing a shower chair of the above kind wherein the shower chair portion (non-slip base seat, back support, and non-slip suction footing) of the fixture can provide a safe and secure seat for bathing. e. Providing a shower chair of the above kind provides secure swivel legs for the base seat portion. f. Providing a shower chair of the above kind provides secure adjustable legs for raising and lowering the base seat portion. g. Providing a shower chair of the above kind provides a shower chair which is collapsible for easy storing. h. Providing a shower chair of the above kind provides a shower chair which is easily stored with minimal space and effort needed. i. Providing a shower chair of the above kind provides a shower chair which has a water proof ease grip handle for carrying as part of its design. j. Providing a shower chair of the above kind provides a shower chair which is easily transformed into a carrying case. k. Providing a shower chair of the above kind provides a light weight shower chair. l. Providing a shower chair of the above kind can be easily manufactured, and assembled. m. Providing a shower chair of the above kind provides relative ease of use during bathing. n. Providing a shower chair of the above kind provides a non-slip covering on the base seat and back support portion of the shower chair. p. Providing a shower chair of the above kind provides a built in cavity for holding the soap in the base seat portion of the shower chair.

These and still other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description which follows. In the detailed description below, the preferred examples of the invention will be described in reference to the accompanying drawings. The examples do not represent the full scope of the invention. Rather the invention may be employed in other examples. Reference should therefore be made to the claims herein for interpreting the breadth of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the shower chair showing its fully assembled position of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the shower chair showing base seat with drainage slot, non-slip signage with front and rear view of self-draining soap holder portion of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the shower chair showing back support with drainage slots and locking rails of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the shower chair showing base seat back support with non-slip signage, drain slots and locking rails of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of the leg portions, swivel leg attachment braces, leg attachment braces securing holes, leg support rings, stored locking pins, and secure locking pins holding braces, and the seat portion of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the leg swivel bracket, swivel leg attachment brace with holes, secure to the leg portions to the base seat portion of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of the leg pivotal suction cup feet, leg support brace, and adjustment leg w/holds of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the water-proof easy grip handle, signage, mounting brackets w/holes of the back portion of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of the locking pin, locking pin storage brackets, locking pin rails of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of the stored legs, swivel hinge mounting leg bracket, leg bracket locking buttons, swivel hinge fixed mounting bracket, leg support rings and pivotal suction feet within the seat portion of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged view of partially stored package shower chair with front view (base seat) non-slip signage with soap holder portion and rear view (base seat back support) with non-slip signage of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a labeled itemized picture of the parts of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a numbered itemized list, including item number, item name, brief description of the parts of the present invention. 

I claim:
 1. A portable travel shower chair assembly having; the capability to support a person, (within designated weight limits) while the person is bathing, base seat with four sides, base seat back support, drainage slots in the base and back portions of the shower chair, four adjustable/collapsible swivel legs which are firmly attached to the base seat portion of the shower chair via permanently attached brackets; water proof easy grip carrying handle, four pivotal non-slip suction cups at the foot of the adjustable/collapsible swivel leg. three locking pins and three locking pin holding brackets.
 2. The shower chair as defined in claim 1 wherein has a base seat;
 3. The shower chair as defined in claim 2 wherein said base seat has slots for water drainage in the base seat portion of the shower chair, slots for water drainage in the base seat left side portion of the shower chair, slots for water drainage in the back side base seat portion of the shower chair, slots for water drainage in the right side base seat portion of the shower chair, slots for water drainage in the front side base seat portion of the shower chair and slots in the back support portion of the shower chair for drainage and quick drying;
 4. The shower chair as defined in claim 3 wherein has a back support of the shower base seat;
 5. The shower chair as defined in claim 4 wherein there is at least two drainage slots in the back support seat portion of the shower chair;
 6. The shower chair as defined in claim 5 wherein the said shower chair has four adjustable/collapsible swivel legs which are firmly attached and secured to the base seat portion of the shower chair via permanently attached brackets; means for securing said leg to the base seat under surface comprising of at least one adjustable/collapsible swivel leg bracket per each of the four corners within said base seat;
 7. The shower chair as defined in claim 6 wherein said swivel leg brackets has a hub portion on the four corners undersurface of the base seat thereof, and said hub portion having a permanent position which allows for proper balance and weight distribution to aid in the prevention of lilting while in use.
 8. The shower chair as defined in claim 7 wherein said swivel leg have a pivotal non-slip suction cup at the foot of the ball of said swivel leg.
 9. The shower chair as defined in claim 8 has the capabilities of supporting one person (with-in weight limit) while seated therein, comprising: a shower chair, having a base seat with four sides, a back supporting portion; 4 adjustable/collapsible leg portion; 4 independently pivotal suction foot portion (operatively connected to said seat leg portion), and easy grip handle.
 10. The shower chair as defined in claim 9 has a non-slip covering on the base seat and back support portion of the shower chair.
 11. The shower chair as defined in claim 10 has a built in self-draining cavity for holding soap in the base seat portion of the shower chair.
 12. The shower chair as defined in claim 11 has a built in water proof easy grip handle which is designed for person with physical challenges to their hands, to grip the collapsed stored away shower chair with relative ease. 